Islay Reserves Officer (Fixed-Term) - Loch Gruinart

Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a new position as The Islay Reserves Officer, working across all the reserves on the beautiful Isle of Islay, from Loch Gruinart to the Oa.

Our Islay Reserves are working farms and cover a diverse range of habitats from wet grassland to moorland, salt marsh to sea cliffs which support a huge range of species including hundreds of breeding waders, tens of thousands of wintering Greenland barnacle geese, chough, hen harrier, white fronted geese, corncrake and marsh fritillary.

What's the role about?

This role is equal parts about connecting people to nature as it is practical. Duties will include welcoming visitors and enthusing a wide range of audiences about our work here on Islay, delivering guided walks, talks and events, designed to raise awareness of our work and generate funds and memberships. During quieter times, duties will include all things practical such as path maintenance, habitat management, fencing and wildlife surveys.

We can support candidates with less experience, but with the right attitude and skill set. We want to know who you are and how this role aligns with what you want to achieve.

What we need from you:

• The ability to communicate to a wide range of audiences, passion about Islay and its wildlife, and can pass this enthusiasm on to visitors
• A flexible approach to work
• Excellent organisational and presentation skills
• To be as capable and motivated to do hard, physical work in all weather conditions as you are of creating detailed and accurate reports
• A full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK.

Essential skills include:

• Good written and spoken English
• Knowledge and experience of practical habitat and estate management.
• Experience of completing work alone and working within a varied team.
• Working with and/or leading volunteers
• Experience of biological recording and surveys
• Experience of promotion, marketing and production of interpretive material
• Community Engagement – working with the public and delivering events to the public
• Maintenance and use of machinery, tools and equipment
• Good basic knowledge of Islay's wildlife, habitats and key species (sufficient to be able to lead public engagement activities in a credible way and to train and motivate volunteers)
• Problem solving and coming up with well thought through practical solutions
• Customer care experience
• Full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK.

Desirable qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:

• Lantra or equivalent qualification in using equipment such as brushcutter and ATV
• Geographical knowledge of location (Isle of Islay)

Additional information:

• This role will involve lone working and working in remote locations.
• This role will require occasional weekend, early morning and evening working so will need someone who is able to be flexible.
• This is a Fixed-Term role for 37.5 hours per week, for 12 months. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 16th January 2023. For further information please contact lauren.stewart@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.